The Raiders' longtime punter holds the NFL record for career yards per punt and became the league's highest-paid player at his position.
AJ Cole has been Las Vegas's punter since going undrafted out of NC State in 2019, developing into one of the most consistent leg specialists in football. A three-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro, Cole signed a four-year extension that made him the NFL's highest-paid punter.
Path to the league
Cole was a four-year starter at NC State from 2015-18, finishing with 9,288 punting yards, third-most in program history, and a 42.2-yard average. He went undrafted in 2019 and signed with the Raiders, immediately winning the starting job.
Career highlights
Cole holds the NFL record for career yards per punt at 48.48. He earned Pro Bowl selections in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and was named First-Team All-Pro in both 2021 and 2023. In 2024 he averaged 50.8 yards per punt, the second-best single-season mark in Raiders history.
2025 season recap
Cole's 2025 numbers dipped from his career-best 2024 campaign. He punted 71 times for a 40.8-yard net average, pinning opponents inside the 20-yard line 25 times, and earned a 72.2 PFF grade, ranking 14th among qualified punters. Despite the step back statistically, the Raiders signed him to a four-year, $15.8 million extension making him the NFL's highest-paid punter.
Sources
- Wikipedia: AJ Cole (American football)
- Pro Football Reference: AJ Cole
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Punting
17 games played▶Punting · career
| Year | Team | GP | PUNTS | YDS | AVG | LNG | IN20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | raiders | 17 | 71 | 3,379 | 47.6 | 64 | 24 |
| 2024 | raiders | 17 | 65 | 3,304 | 50.8 | 71 | 27 |
| 2023 | raiders | 17 | 75 | 3,783 | 50.4 | 83 | 34 |
| 2022 | raiders | 17 | 59 | 2,884 | 48.9 | 67 | 26 |
| 2021 | raiders | 17 | 64 | 3,202 | 50.0 | 71 | 28 |
| 2020 | raiders | 16 | 44 | 1,939 | 44.1 | 63 | 20 |
| 2019 | raiders | 16 | 67 | 3,081 | 46.0 | 74 | 33 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Punter
- Group
- specialTeam
- College
- NC State
- Hometown
- College Park, GA, USA
- Age
- 30
- Status
- active
